Peace
by TDP2009
Summary: James, the king of Enchancia, is put under a curse for neglecting his kingdom after his father's murder. He is forced to go into hiding in his own castle with a village girl named Sofia who's touch eases the pain of his curse as they fight to find a way to break it. Will James ever get his throne back and right his wrongs or will he be forced to suffer forever?
1. Chapter 1

King James of Enchancia sat upon his throne, bored, listening to the villagers of Dunwitty complain about food shortages and their starving families; pleading for the use of weapons to be returned to all instead of just the royal huntsmen whom he had entrusted. Sean, a former guard at the castle, was placed in Dunwitty to supply the village with food and to keep an eye on the people. There had been rumors that he was terrorizing the village, excessively drinking and slanderously approaching their women. After his father King Rolland II was shot and stabbed to death during a festival over a year ago leaving sixteen year old James to rule the kingdom he didn't trust any of them and they deserved what they got.

In James's opinion his father had been too easy on people who never truly appreciated him. They were nothing but spoiled ungrateful children who expected James to treat them kindly after they murdered his Father. The villagers were never hungry or sick during King Rolland II's reign thanks to a protection spell his royal sorcerer Cedric cast not to mention Roland granted every request they brought to him no matter how trivial it seemed. If care and compassion wasn't enough to earn respect and love from his kingdom James knew he needed to be a strict ruler.

Many of the villagers and the Castle staff wished that James would take a queen, someone to soften his cold heart and possibly restore order to the kingdom. Secretly James wanted the same. A wife and possibly some heirs to his throne but he was content ruling the kingdom alone and didn't need a woman to be his conscious or second guess his laws. This was HIS kingdom and it would remain that way until he saw fit to step down.

There was gossip that the fairies were becoming fed up with his behavior and were working with Cedric to conjure a spell that would make him see the errors of his ways. Unfortunately for James there was never enough proof for them to be imprisoned. The kingdom continued to suffer and King James became more and more elusive to the village until he would no longer see them when they visited the castle and they were often sent away. The servants, no longer wanting to serve a King who didn't care, left leaving only a handful of people sending the castle it's self into ruins.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 1**

Rain had plagued the kingdom of Enchancia for the past week giving everything a gloomy wet appearance. King James stared out the window of his study wanting more than anything to just go back to bed until the rain stopped, it was a childish notion he knew but he was entitled to at least think about it.

"I hate the rain" James sighed angrily returning to his paper work

'Yes your majesty' Baileywick the royal steward replied in his usual monotone voice 'your tea is getting cold'

James automatically picked the cup of now lukewarm tea up and mindlessly took a sip

'Is there any news of our treaty with Tangu?'

Prince Zandar used to be James's best friend when they attended school at royal prep together but since James took the Enchancian throne three years ago his father, King Silas, made it clear that he did not approve of how he treated his people and cut off all trading between the kingdoms. Recently James agreed to share a portion of the fabric sent to the castle with the village of Dunwitty as a peace offering

'You have a meeting with King Silas at the end of the week, your majesty' Baileywick replied checking his calendar

James had been waiting for an opportunity to mingle with all the surrounding kingdoms and make them think he was changing his ways, what better time than a peace treaty? Having the villagers there would make him look that much better.

'Baileywick, we shall have a ball. Invite all the surrounding Kingdoms as well as the villagers' James said festively lifting his cup of cold tea

'Seriously?' Baileywick asked his normal monotone was laced with shock and excitement. There hadn't been a ball in the castle since Rolland

'Yes, get the staff together and make the arrangements, this shall be the biggest most magnificent ball this castle has ever seen'

In the last few months James realized the staff numbers depleting, perhaps it was because their families were starving or maybe it was because of the pay cuts but whatever the reason he knew a ball of that magnitude would be an almost impossible feat. However, Baileywick was not one to be underestimated when it came to party planning, He was the greatest steward in the surrounding ten kingdoms and had been his father's most cherished employee.

By the morning after James gave the orders for the ball Baileywick had already sent the invitations and what servants he had left cleaned the castle from top to bottom. The windows which had been covered in grime for some time were sparkling like diamonds in the sunlight. The rain had finally let up which James saw as a sign that everything was going his way.


	3. Chapter 3

Hey guys, I hope your enjoying my new story so far!

I want to take this time to say that i don't own Sofia the First or any of it's characters

Also a shout out to **LUIZ4200** thanks for your comments on this story as well as my others, your feed back is definitely welcome and appreciated; if you have any ideas let me know ^^

That goes for all you guys too, i'm always up for ideas and if there's anything you don't like tell me. I need the criticisms to be better for you.

XOXOXO

 **Chapter 2**

Everything was perfect by the day the ball was scheduled. There were tables lining the walls on each side of the room topped with enough food to feed two armies and the castle seemed to laugh as guests began to arrive. More people showed up than James had imagined, he figured at least half the people on his guest list would turn him down. He was sure most of them were there for gossip fodder.

Baileywick proudly stood at the top of the grand staircase announcing royals and villagers alike never once faltering. Music began to play and his guests danced merrily; James watched thinking how dumb they all were. He didn't care what any of them thought of him and the fact everyone was acting like nothing was wrong annoyed him to no end but he continued to smile and engage in meaningless chatter.

A medium heighted girl from the village dressed in a green and brown corset dress had the nerve to ask him to dance. Seeing this as a golden opportunity to show off in front of everyone he accepted. He was surprised to learn she knew all the steps to the dance in play and he began to notice she wasn't entirely homely looking with her long auburn hair, big blue eyes and pleasingly slender frame. She was almost beautiful when she smiled.

Before James was able to ask her name the ball room went pitch black. People started screaming and flocking towards the door and James immediately tried to take control of the situation

'BAILEYWICK, LIGHT SOME CANDLES' he tried to yell over the crowd but it was useless.

Out of nowhere a trio of glowing fairies that James recognized as the headmistresses at royal prep fluttered towards him

'People of Enchancia and guests from other kingdoms, please calm down' they commanded sternly

An ominous purple light and a smell like charcoal engulfed the room

'We have allowed you to gather here as you are all witnesses to James's heinous acts against the kingdom' the red fairy, Flora said floating around him

'What is this?' James asked infuriated 'GUARDS! TAKE THEM TO THE DUNGEONS!' he bellowed

No one came to his aid, he quickly realized the rumors were true and his staff must be involved in the betrayal. Of course they were. No one was to be trusted.

'James, you have been a brutal and unjust ruler. Until you learn to treat your people with kindness and love you will not be permitted to sit upon the throne' the blue fairy, Merryweather spat

James was aware the three fairies had made a circle around him and out of the corner of his eyes he saw Cedric standing behind them, wand at the ready.

'Until you correct the error of your ways you will spend the rest of your pitiful existence in tremendous pain and suffering without the option of ending it' the green fairy, Fauna said and motioned towards the hidden sorcerer

'Omniprestant Hetatan' Cedric chanted lyrically

A white hot fire burned through his shirt and pierced the flesh above his heart. James screamed but still no one came to him. He wasn't even sure if anyone was still there, of course who wouldn't their ruthless leader writhing in pain in front of them. The fire carved patterns in his skin, he felt it move from his chest down to his hips, his legs and back up to his face.

It didn't seem like it was ever going to stop and James tried with all his might to muffle his screams of agony. He didn't want to give them the satisfaction of his pain but he was unsuccessful in his attempts. He felt all of the hate he had for humanity flow through the gashes the fire had made which hurt more than the fire itself.

'Do you feel the hate, James?' one of the fairies asked calmly

'The fire will feed on it until it no longer resides inside you' another added

'Make it stop' James coughed holding his sides

'Maybe this is too far" a man in the darkness said panicked

'No, he deserves this. People are dying because of him' another man yelled out

The pain was excruciating and James was embarrassed that he was on display like he was. The lights in the ball room came back to life and before he could see how many people were there he gave into the pain and darkness washed over him once again.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 3

James's head throbbed when he awoke. He had no idea what time it was, how long he had been out, or how he got to his room. The events that had transpired in the ballroom all seemed like a bad dream but considering how much his body burned and ached he knew it had actually happened. How dare the fairies and Cedric curse him like that? Did they expect him to stand down from his throne, his birthright, so easily? And who did they expect was going to take his place as king?

James tried to stand up but the pain was too great and he fell back onto his mattress defeated. Just then his door opened revealing Baileywick holding a tray of tea and sandwiches. When Baileywick saw James was awake he cautiously sat the tray down and moved back to the doorway

'Your majesty?' he whispered

'Baileywick, why are you still here?'

'Your majesty I had nothing to do with what happened last night, I swear. Please believe me' he pleaded sincerely still keeping his distance

James remained silent. He didn't want to believe Baileywick would betray him but he didn't know who to trust. If anyone.

'I brought you some breakfast, your majesty' Baileywick said making his way to the tray

'Who do they expect to rule my kingdom?' James cut him off abruptly

'W-well, your majesty…everyone has declared their royalty to…King...Umm...'

'Who, Baileywick?'

'King Silas, your majesty'

'Silas? Those backstabbing traitors. I'll make sure they all hang once I regain my strength'

'It may not be for me to say, your majesty, but it is that attitude that got you in this mess to begin with. Maybe it's time you remember the entire village isn't to blame. We did execute the men involved'

'You know Baileywick…your right. It's not for you to say. Now get out.'

Baileywick bowed and left the room leaving James to his pain. James forced himself onto his feet and struggled to pour himself a cup of tea and eat a sandwich, chewing was unbearable so he ate as much as he could before giving up and making his way out into the bright white and red hallway.

James's eyes began to water from the pain of walking but he needed to get to Cedric's tower to look for a counter spell. The room began spinning and he fell against the cool wall but pain jolted through his arm from the contact and he fell to his knees screaming.

'Your Majesty!' a woman's soft voice rang out

James didn't know who it was and he didn't have the energy to look up. He felt like he was dying.

'Lean on me, I will help you back to your room' she insisted taking his arm and helping him back onto his feet.

Her gentile touch seemed to sooth his burning wounds. It felt like ice on a sunburn and he didn't want it to go away.

'Here we go' she chimed helping him back to his bed

'Who are you?' he asked breathing heavily

'My name is Sofia, your majesty' she smiled sweetly fluffing the pillows up behind him

James looked her over, she didn't look like a servant but he faintly recognized her green and brown dress

'I'm sorry if I'm overstepping, your majesty, I just wanted to make sure you were ok'

'What?' he asked not sure he heard her right

'I was here last night, my mother and I saw what they did to you. I stayed behind to check on you and she is home right now planning a course out of the kingdom'

'Why?' is all he could say and he stared at her as if she was growing a second head

'We witnessed what happened to King Roland, my father was killed trying to stop the assassination. Our loyalties have always been to you and we understand why you treat us the way you do'

'And why is that, do you think?'

'You lost your father. You gained the power to punish the men that took him away and you blame all of us. I would be doing the same thing if I was able'

James was dumbfounded, maybe not all of the villagers were bad but it wasn't enough to change his perspective.

'Why is your mother looking for a way out of the Kingdom?'

'We overheard King Silas's guard at the ball talking about moving his troops into the village and taking over the castle. We won't switch our loyalties and we plan to hide out with a group of others that feel the same way we do until you come back into power'

Sofia's big blue eyes burned with rage as she spoke and he instantly knew where he knew her from

'I danced with you before the curse was instated, didn't I?'

'Yes, your majesty' she laughed musically

'Did you know this was going to happen?' he accused her taking her off guard

'No, we had heard rumors of a plan to dethrone you but no one knew how or when. Should have known it would have been a big gathering like that though'

'If you didn't know then why did you dance with me?'

'Your majesty, I have admired you for a long time. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity'

Her already light pink cheeks deepened in shade giving her a childlike appearance that was quite cute but he needed to focus on the issues at hand. Silas was preparing to take his Kingdom and his castle. James needed to come up with a plan quickly before it was too late and he was exiled. Or worse.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 4**

Sofia sat with James all night while they came up with a plan to stop Silas from taking over his castle. Unsurprisingly Baileywick never interrupted them, he was preparing the castle for the new king no doubt. The only plan they could come up with, however, was that James ran away with Sofia and the group of rebels.

'I am not running away, Sofia' James retaliated stubbornly

'If you don't who knows what Silas and his army will do to you!' Sofia tried to reason with him but it was obvious she wasn't getting anywhere with him

'Let them come, I would rather die here than escape like a common criminal'

'That is exactly how they see you, as a villain. No one understands you, has anyone ever bothered to ask you why you punish everyone?

'No. And I would appreciate if you would stop acting like you know me. Just because both of our fathers were murdered does not mean we are 'connected' in some way. I'm not even sure why I let you stay here all night, you should just go home!'

James was yelling at this point and his skin felt like it was melting. His voice caught in his throat and he couldn't breath

'Your majesty!' Sofia threw her arms around him instinctively and once again the pain started to fade 'oh, I'm so sorry! Did I hurt you?' she asked letting go of him hurriedly

James leaned into her, grabbing her arms with each of his hands and pulled her closer to him

'Your majesty?' Sofia asked nervously 'what is going on?'

'You make the pain go away' James whispered taking in the feeling of peace while he could

'I what? That doesn't make any sense'

'No it doesn't but Hush, just let me enjoy this for a moment'

They lied there in silence. James held Sofia as close to him as he could, not caring that she seemed nervous and awkward. This girl was his key to saving his castle and taking revenge on those blasted fairies and Cedric.

After about an hour Sofia cleared her throat

'Your majesty, I really should be getting to the village. My mother will need help with whatever plan she is going to execute and if you are not coming with us I will need to let her know'

Sofia let go of him and began getting up. Pain pulsed through his body tenfold but he kept himself from screaming.

He couldn't let Sofia go. There had to be a way to keep her.

'Wait, Sofia' he said sweetly gently grabbing her elbow 'maybe I should come with you, I would hate to give Silas a chance to take over my kingdom permanently'

Sofia smiled widely and hugged him

'Oh, your majesty! You won't regret it, we will keep you safe and find a cure for your curse!'

'Of course, with you by my side keeping the pain at bay how could I say no? And Sophia, call me James'

The sickly sweet voice James was forcing almost made him physically sick but she seemed to believe he was sincere. She grabbed his hand and helped him to the door

'I'll make sure the coast is clear' she offered poking her head out into the hallway 'It's quiet, Silas must not be here yet'

'That's a relief. Let's go out the tunnels just in case though' James smiled forming a plan in his head

'There are secret tunnels in the castle? That's so smart!'

'Yeah, genius'

Sofia wrapped herself around James as well as she could manage to make walking more comfortable and had him tell her which way to go.

There was a secret door behind a tapestry of a ship, which they both found ironic, and it led to a series of tunnels.

One tunnel led them out of the castle, another led to a larger series of tunnels that led to other rooms in the castle above, and the last tunnel on the left led to what used to be the torture chamber when King Roland, James's grandfather, was in power but when James's father got the throne he had it decommissioned.

James knew this was his only chance.

'left' he instructed confidently and they headed down the dark tunnel


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 5**

Light from several torches surrounded James and Sofia as they entered the chamber. James looked over to see Sofia's confused face

'I think we went down the wrong tunnel, James' she said turning around

James grabbed her arms and pulled them behind her causing her to scream out in pain

'No, Sofia. This is where we need to be'

James pushed her toward a table with straps for her head, arms, and feet

'What is going on? Please let me go!'

Sofia began to struggle and cry but James knew she was the key to reversing his curse. The pain that coursed through his body while trying to restrain the girl was immense but he had no choice.

'I need to get to my mother, please, she can't leave without me!'

'Shut up, please, just stop talking!'

James's head felt like it was going to explode and her pleading voice made it much worse

Sofia did as she was told and stopped fighting him on the table but tears continued to stream down her beautiful face almost making him wish he had just gone through with her plan. But he was already committed to his villainous acts and he just had to remember his plan.

James would hide out in the tunnels with Sofia and try his best to get to Cedric's tower after night fall. After his curse was broken he would reclaim his castle and everything would go back to how it was only with Zandar on the throne of Tangu since Silas's head would be on a spike somewhere on the castle grounds.

'Once you agree to stay with me I will let you off the table. Until then you will stay there and only come off when I need you, understand?' James said collapsing to the floor next to her and resting his hand on her arm above him sending little sparks of pleasure to the rest of him.

'How do you intend to survive down here, your majesty?' Sofia asked blankly

'What do you mean? I have you to relieve my pain and…' James stopped.

Food. Water. Clean clothes. Things he had not taken into consideration whilst forming his little scheme. What if Sofia died from starvation before him? She was so small it wouldn't take her long to parish without food or proper hydration.

Then he would be a murderer and the last thing he wanted to be known for was causing a girl, whom he hasn't known for long or even how old she is, to starve to death. Plus his plan would never work and he would probably die down here with her.

'There is a tunnel that leads to the kitchen if you would be willing to come with me for supplies'

'Can I at least know why I am strapped to a medieval torture devise?'

'You are the only thing that stops my pain, your touch is like medicine. If I am going to have any chance of taking back my throne I need you to stay with me long enough to find the cure being as I can't so much as stand without feeling like I'm on fire.'

Sofia was quiet for a moment which annoyed James that she didn't respond with a positive 'of course, your majesty' like he thought she would

'I need to get word to my mother that I am alright, then and only then will I agree to help you. And, James, I am not a 'thing' so don't ever say that again'

'How dare you speak to me that way? I am your king and deserve to be treated with respect! I could just let you die here, you know'

'You know, James, I admired your father when he was king. He was always so humble and modest in the village, he would dance with villagers at festivals and no matter what we needed he was there for us'

Sofia sighed

'Then when he was killed by a group of evil men who wanted nothing more than to see the crown drenched in blood you took over. Not many people had faith that a sixteen year old king was going to amount to much but my mother and me, still mourning the loss of father, tried our best to convince them that you had been raised by King Roland II and would be just as good of a king as he was'

She got quiet

'We waited. And waited. After you had the terrorists executed we waited, hoping that you would see the good in us and would stop making our lives a living hell. But it never stopped and Sean continued to own the village and rumors of a plan to dethrone you began. Mother and a group of villagers who still believe you could be a great king moved to the outskirts of Dunwitty. Away from Sean and from all the negativity towards you because we believed. They still do. I on the other hand, after witnessing firsthand how pathetic you really are by tricking me into slavery for your benefit, do not respect you or see you as my king. You need me, not the other way around. So let me off this table so I can go fetch us supplies and send a letter to my mother who has no one else in the world'

James stood there stunned and slowly unlocked all of her restraints


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 6

Sofia rose silently from the table she had been strapped to and dusted off her dress. James was still stunned by her words and figured it best not to say anything. After a moment of silence she turned to him, the guilt on her face was evident

'Your majesty...I shouldn't have said those things, I was out of line. I apologize'

'No, Sofia. Never apologize for speaking the truth. I am not my father and I was not, am not, even close to being ready to be a king to an entire kingdom. However that does not change the fact that I need to get it back and in order to do that I need you'

James was looking at the floor as he spoke not able to look her in the eye

'Please come away with me. My mother and the rest of our group will find a way to end your curse and when we return you can take back your rule' Sofia pleaded with him but James was skeptical

'If I leave the castle I may not be able to get back in. it is too risky. We have to stay here and get to Cedric's tower, I'm sure the reverse spell is there'

'I can't stay here. My mother needs me, I'm sorry' Sofia dashed across the room out into the tunnels

'SOFIA! Please don't leave me...' he called after her but she was gone.

James sat on the floor aggravated with his eyes shut hoping that maybe he could make the pain go away on his own but he realized it was pointless and started screaming knowing no one would hear him. After what seemed like hours a pair of thin arms wrapped around his neck tightly

'I thought you left' James sighed feeling the pain melt away

'I did...and then I got lost. You have a fairly large castle but I did manage to find the kitchens' she whispered tickling his ear. He enjoyed the feeling but was preoccupied with the thought of food

'You got food?' James asked looking around eagerly

'Yes, as much as I could carry. It should last us a couple days' she giggled handing him a burlap sack

James took it from her and pulled out two sausage links and a block of cheese

'Did you send word to your mother?' James asked as he ate. He was afraid that she was going to give away their location

'No, even if i did write her a letter how would i send it?'

James thought about that for a moment. He got up slowly making sure her hands were still on his shoulders and put the food back in the bag

'Follow me, Sofia. I have an idea'

James took Sofia's hand and led her down a series of tunnels until they came to a wooden door with a big golden door knob. He turned it to the left, then to the right, and pulled as hard as he could. It popped open and the smell of leather and vanilla engulfed the room

'Where are we?' Sofia asked clinging to James as they walked through the dark room

'The treasure room. This is where kings from the past have stored all of their most precious possessions'

She stayed silent as James lit a candle on a table in the middle of the room. Sofia's face lit up as she looked around at the clutter. There were cases of gem stones, shelves of books, towers and piles of books on the floor, carpets that could fly when spelled, portraits of past leaders and their families and Chests that held gold and Jewels.

'There it is' James said picking up a small pink stone

'It's a heart-to-heart stone. You think about someone and if they feel the way you do about them they can hear you. Queen Selena, my grandmother, used this to tell my grandfather she loved him. It might work to let your mother know you are ok' James shrugged his shoulders and handed the stone to Sofia

'It's so pretty' she said admirably holding it up to the candle causing it to sparkle 'How will I know if it's working? That she knows?'

'It will glow red if she does. If she doesn't it will glow blue. It might not work but it is worth a shot'

'Mother' Sofia whispered to the stone 'I'm ok, mother. You need to leave the kingdom, I'm safe. I'm with the king. I will see you soon. I love you'

Sofia cupped the stone in both hands and held it to her chest. Her eyes closed, she took a deep breath, and the stone began glowing a brilliant crimson.

James felt a tightening in his chest as he watched her. Her eyes were shut tightly and her voice was shaky. For the first time he realized he wasn't the only one affected by the act of terror on his father. She had lost hers too and now she might never get to see her mother again. She would be just as much an orphan as he was. Conflicted emotions ran through him.

He felt sorry for Sofia but annoyed that if anything happened to her it was going to be his fault. She was a liability and if her mother ever came back to find that her daughter had been put to death for treason against king Silas she would conspire to kill him, if he was still alive that is.

'Mother' Sofia whispered and the stone turned back to pink

'Do you think it worked?' Sofia asked examining the stone for any trace of an answer

'It was glowing red. I'm sure it did'

'I hope so…'

James was about to blow the candle when he saw something lying across a pile of books. It was the amulet of avalore. He picked it up gently and admired the large purple stone that sat upon a silver backing and was encased in silver vine work adorned with other jewels.

'What did you find?' Sofia asked curiously taking his arm in hers

'The amulet of Avalore. It is said to have many magical qualities and gives the wearer special abilities'

'Abilities? Like what?'

'Well my Aunt claimed she could talk to animals while she wore it and that she could breathe under water'

James didn't mention that everyone thought she was lunatic; it was best to leave that out

'Was there any truth to that?'

'No clue. She was the first person that ever wore it'

'Why doesn't she still have it?'

'Grandfather took it from her when she left the castle. It was to stay here and only be used when it was needed…'

James looked at Sofia thoughtfully

'You should wear it, Sofia'

'M-me? Why?'

'It might keep you safe if things start to go south'

'No, I couldn't possibly wear something like that. It's too important'

'You are important' James said gently putting it around her slender neck

'It might intensify my healing power for you…I get it' Sofia sighed and gave in to him

'I don't want to lose you, Sofia. If something happens you need the option to get out. This might give that to you'


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 7**

Sofia touched the amulet that was dangling below her throat and seemed to be deep in thought. The crease in her forehead were prominent and her pink lips were pulled in a frown

'How much do you understand about magic?' She asked James not changing her features

'I took a few classes on the subject when I was at school at royal prep but I never finished since I took the throne early, why?'

'Do you have any idea why I can take your pain away? Am I cursed or maybe a witch?'

'I don't know. Maybe there is something in here that could explain it' James offered to let her look around and he sat in a chair watching her

After searching through a few big leather covered books and six spell books she gave up

'Half of this stuff is in a different language. You could help you know' She huffed

'No. I would rather not know, if we find out what causes it you could find a way to reverse it and I need you too much' he stated passively staring at his fingernails

'Ugh, fine. Maybe there will be some hint in the tower when we go to find you're counter spell'

James took her hand and blew out the candle covering them in darkness. They made their way out of the room and James twisted the doorknob to the right, left, right two times and pushed it as hard as he could

'Why are you doing that?' Sofia asked curiously watching from behind him

'It's enchanted. You have to know the correct maneuvers to open it and I am the only one who does right now'

'So only the king can get in?'

'Yes. If anyone else were to access the room there are many powerful secrets and other magical stones that could wreak havoc on the kingdom'

'But you let me in' Sofia pointed out holding his arm tightly

'Yes, well, I trust you'

'You do? Why?'

James cleared his throat and realized he had worded his comment wrong

'I meant I trust you wouldn't want to bring the kingdom that your father died for down. That's all'

'Oh. Well of course I would never do anything to harm you or the kingdom. But you can trust me in other aspects as well'

James looked at the girl behind him; her eyes were shimmering like stars in the night sky and he couldn't pull his gaze away

'I don't trust people easily, Sofia. You and your mother's group may be innocent of the crimes against my family but that doesn't mean that it will be any easier for me to forgive you. The villagers knew this was going to happen and no one warned us. My father went into that village with love and care in his heart and those monsters shoved a knife through it!'

James was shouting now and on the verge of tears but he kept himself together. He hadn't cried over his father since he died and he was not going to start now, especially in front of her.

'No one in our circle knew about the attack, if you think it was some kind of village wide conspiracy you are sadly mistaken. If any of us would have known we would have come to you and the king, believe me. Before we left the village we heard rumors of the fairies plotting against you and immediately came to the castle. We were turned away quickly, the guards threatened to put us in the dungeons for giving false information. We went home, regrouped, and waited for something to happen'

James ignored her and they began walking back to the torture chamber in silence. The tunnels seemed longer going back than they had before and James was becoming annoyed. He wanted all of this to be a bad dream and to wake up in his bed far away from Sofia who was testing his reasons to be mad at the world. He just wanted to be mad and it was going to take more than sweet words and big blue eyes to change that.

When they finally got back to the room James let go of Sofia's hand and lied down on a bed of straw in the corner facing the wall. He was going to sulk and she was going to deal with it.

'James?' Sofia whispered cautiously creeping up behind him

"What is it?' He asked

'You don't like me much, do you?' She stated knowing the answer

'As a rule, no'

'So once you get the curse broken you won't want to see me again?'

Her sadden voice took him off guard. Was she…in love with him?

'What exactly do you mean?


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 8**

The look on Sofia's face made James sorry he had asked

Her face fell but she kept her composure

'I know that you aren't interested in me or anyone else for that matter'

Her snarky tone aggravated him. He wanted to yell that she knew nothing about him but he had planning to do

'Let's just figure out how to get to Cedric's tower before all hell breaks loose'

Sofia helped him up off his mat and he was sure he saw a flicker of sadness in her eyes. He just hoped she didn't start crying. He couldn't stand girls crying.

'We need to get the counter spell tonight, no exceptions. I have no idea when Silas is going to infiltrate the castle' James stated taking Sofia's arm

'Yes, you're Majesty' She replied blankly still obviously annoyed at him

'I need you to be on top of your game. Where is your head right now?'

'I'm worried about my mother' she explained playing with a ring on her left thumb James hadn't noticed

'What is that ring?' James asked stopping abruptly to grab her hand

'It was my father's when he was alive. I'm not sure what the markings mean but he made sure to let mom know to give it to me in the event of his death' Sofia's voice trailed off at the end of her sentence

James examined the ring closely, it looked familiar but he couldn't remember where he had seen it before. The gem stone in the middle was a polished amethyst and strange engraved markings covered the worn silver band

'It looks too nice to be a villager's ring. Are you sure it was your father's?' James asked suspiciously

'It wasn't stolen, if that's what you mean. Dad has had this since he was young' she answered and James dropped her hand dismissively

'Whatever. I will look more into it when I get this stupid curse broken. Now come on, we don't have all day'

They didn't have much time.

'So we need to head down the tunnels and come out the east wing, there are a few tunnels covered by paintings down there that no one else knows about. Now if we need to there is a cavern under the castle we can hide out in if things go south but hopefully that won't be an issue'

James stopped and took a deep breath.

He reached in the bag Sofia had brought with her from the kitchens and took out an apple and tossed it to her

'You're going to need your strength as well' he said not looking at her

'Ok' she said meekly and he heard her take a small bite

She didn't eat much or very fast, he almost felt sorry for her as he studied her from the corner of his eye. Sofia had to have been about seventeen but she was the size of a malnourished twelve year old. It wasn't unattractive but he knew she couldn't be healthy. Maybe after all this madness was over he would offer her a place to stay in the castle so he could make sure she was taken care of.

Not that he really cared…right?

James shook the thoughts out of his mind. There was no time to be thinking about her at all right now. He needed her to get the curse broken and after he retook his kingdom and watched Silas executed he would revisit his 'feelings' for her if they existed at all. There was no way to know until he no longer needed her for personal gain.

Time to get his head in the game.

'Are you ready?' he asked grabbing her arm gently

'Yeah. Let's get this over with' she said smiling weakly

The duo made their way down narrow tunnel after narrow tunnel until they finally found the right one and James poked his head out from behind a tapestry

'The coast is clear. Come on' He whispered and drug the skittish girl across the gigantic marble hallway.

The door to Cedric's tower was open which worried James but he had to do what he had to do

'What happens if he is up there?' Sofia whispered shakily obviously frightened

'We just have to hope he isn't. What choice do we have?'

Sofia took a deep breath and nodded her head. They went up the spiral stair case listening for any signs of life but not hearing any.

Finally they arrived at the door to Cedric's potions room which was unlocked but when they entered the room it was empty

'NO!' James yelled falling to the floor and beating his fists down on the concrete sending shooting spikes of pain to his entire body

'James, look' Sofia said pointing out the window.

Across the castle in the opposite tower Cedric was standing in the window smiling and pointing down.

Terrified they both looked down to see Silas surrounded by guards coming across the bridge.

'He's here' James whispered. He could feel the color draining from his face.

They were too late. On the wrong side of the castle. They had no choice. They had to hide before they were found.

'RUN!' James yelled picking Sofia up and bounding down the stairs

If they were found out they would both be executed for sure. Why else would Silas have been involved? He wanted Enchancia and the only way to legally become king would be to destroy the currant king.

Complete take over. But instead of James having loyal guards and militia they were all on Silas's side. He had no one except Sofia who he had kidnapped.

What had he become? He hadn't always been so selfish, right? There was a time when other people mattered. When the village actually mattered to him…But those days were over and there was no way to fix his mistakes. He had to own them. To keep his head held high even if all he could do was hide in the shadows like a rat.

Sofia held tightly to his neck which gave James enough relief from his pain to keep going. They made their way back down the tunnels until they came across a grate. James dropped Sofia and she landed with an oomph

'Hey!' She yelled looking up at him

'Hush. We can't let them hear us'

'Then don't drop me. Better yet, don't pick me back up'

James rolled his eyes and loosened two of the bars so they could fit through

'W-what's down there?' she asked peeking over his shoulder

'Safety' He answered standing up 'after you Soso'

Sofia froze at the use of a new nickname and James's eye twitched

'Soso? Really?' Sofia asked giggling

'Shut it. It slipped…' He could feel his face turning red

'Whatever, Jay' she snickered

'No, don't even start!'


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

It was obvious no one had been down in this part of the castle for generations. Spider webs coated the entrance and the sound of rats fleeing from them echoed off the narrow walls. There were no lanterns or torches this far down so they had to feel their way through

'Do you know where we're going?' Sofia whispered holding James's arm tightly

'Um…I've never actually been down here' he confessed running his hand along the hard cold wall beside him hoping for a doorway to open up. The tunnel was pitch black and his eyes couldn't seem to adjust to the sea of darkness 'my father told me about a vault that was used when the castle was under siege but it hasn't been a necessity in almost a hundred years, I wish someone had put torches up. I can't see'

As he said that the amulet around Sofia's neck began to glow filling the room with bright purple light

'Well, that's helpful' James laughed amazed that his gift was coming in handy

Sofia held the stone in her hands examining it closely 'So we are going off of a rumor? Does this vault have supplies?' Sofia asked resuming the conversation astonished at his lack of a plan

'It's said to have been enchanted so whenever the king needs to access it the room will fill with food and other basic necessities'

Sofia didn't say anything else as they continued their search. James felt the wall dampen and he knew he was getting close. There was supposed to be a spring that ran close by the vault so he sped up a little, hopeful that they wouldn't be stuck in the dark much longer.

Finally after what seemed like hours a soft glow appeared in the distance. James and Sofia were both relieved and cautious; worried that somehow someone had found them. As they approached the ominous light they found themselves on a boat dock next to small two seated row boat that was floating on a small currant river

'Well, I guess we're getting in a boat' James sighed stepping into it and grabbing the oars

'I'm not too sure about this' Sofia said looking at the boat skeptically 'How do we know this isn't some kind of trap?'

'Set by who? The rats? No one has been down here in years, Sofia, This is the right way, I can feel it'

His confidence seemed to have an effect on the scared girl and she nodded her head and joined him and sat across from him. There wasn't much of a need for oars since the moment James released the boat from the dock it swiftly and expertly slid down the currant on t's own

'It must be enchanted' James commented as torches on the walls around them lit up as they got close to them

'At least we can see' Sofia sighed looking around the mysterious room

James couldn't help but notice how beautiful Sofia's face was lit up by fire light and her eyes sparkled as the flames danced in them. She began twisting the ring on her finger nervously reminding him that she was verging on being terrified. Something tinged in his chest, he knew he didn't want her to be afraid but he didn't know what to say to make her feel better.

'Sofia, tell me about your dad' James said hoping to take her mind off of their situation

'My dad? Um…he was strong. He worked as a fisherman fifteen years before he died. He was always making jokes and he could cook better than my mom' she said giggling at a memory

Her laugh sounded like bells and James didn't want it to stop

'What did he do before he was a fisherman?' James asked

'I'm not sure. He wouldn't talk about it whatever it was. He said it could get a lot of people hurt' she said shrugging

'Maybe it has something to do with that ring? Can I see it?' he asked wanting to get a closer look at it and she nodded taking it off

The silver band was warm in his hand and the amethyst seemed to glow. The markings looked so familiar but he still couldn't place them.

'I know I've seen these markings before' he said studying them closely 'did he ever mention what they might mean?'

'No, but I overheard him talking to the blacksmith in the village about grinding them down before the attack. Maybe he knew something bad was going to happen'

'Touch me' James said as an idea popped in his head

'What?' Sofia asked curiously

'Touch me, my arm or something. I want to see something'

Sofia grabbed James's arm and as usual it felt like ice on a burn

'Well there goes that theory' James sighed 'I thought maybe it was spelled'

'If it was wouldn't wearing it get rid of your pain?' she pointed out and he slid it on his ring finger. The ring burned his skin and he quickly took it off 'It's spelled alright, just not the way I would have hoped' He muttered annoyed 'why would it burn me but not you?'

'No idea, perhaps it has something to do with blood?' Sofia suggested sliding the ring back on her thumb

'Yeah, maybe. The boat is slowing down' He said irritated that the ring wasn't his answer and he had to continue relying on Sofia for comfort

The boat came up to a dock next to a blue door, James got out and helped Sofia out as well before making his way over to it. He twisted the knob and pushed revealing a bright giant room with a table in middle full of food

'There's enough food to last us for a lifetime' Sofia gasped and James sighed hoping they wouldn't get to prove her right

There were two doors on the left side of the room, one led to a bedroom with a king size bed and the other led to a bathroom

'There's only one bedroom' Sofia pointed out 'Kind of strange for a vault. Shouldn't there be bunk beds or something?'

'It's enchanted, it must have changed to fit our needs' James said not thinking

'Oh? You wanted to sleep with me?' Sofia giggled and James's face got red once again

'No…I-I didn't say that! There is a couch for you to sleep on' James pointed across the room

Sofia rolled her eyes 'It's better than a torture table at least'


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 10

James sighed frustrated throwing the book about enchanted gems he had been reading on the floor in front of him. He rose to his feet off the red couch and made his way to the

table grabbing a vine of grapes. Sofia was curled up on a big plush chair next to the shelf of books, her hair was tied back and the dress she was wearing was a pretty shade of

blue. The vault had not only been stocked with food but also a closet full of clothes for the two of them, a library with every book they could ever need, the bathroom was

stocked with soaps and cologne and there was a crystal ball they used to keep an eye on the castle above them. Silas had moved all of his troops into the village and had been

redecorating the throne room. He was getting far too comfortable and James was ready to face him.

They had been secluded in the vault for a week and the more James learned about Sofia the stronger his feelings for her grew. They constantly fought about everything from

what books would be useful to who got to take a bath first but they always made up. He enjoyed the banter and he was sure she did too since she smiled every time he

disagreed with her. James had made Sofia sleep on the couch the first couple nights but he began to realize his pain was getting worse as the time passed and he was needing

her more so he asked her to sleep with him to keep the pain down. He also liked the idea of her being so close to him. She was reluctant but after several attempts at

persuading her and complaining about his pain she gave in.

He was falling in love with her and he needed to hurry before the curse completely destroyed him.

They were getting closer to answers about Sofia's abilities. They knew it had something to do with her blood reacting to her father's ring and whatever he did before he became a

fisherman was linked with the royal family. James had read a book about blood spells and how if someone is spelled with a blood spell it will pass down to their children if they

have any. James deduced that her father was spelled to protect the king for some reason, probably a secret guard of some sort, and when he got married and had Sofia he left

not knowing that he had passed the spell onto his daughter which led James to believe that maybe her father wasn't originally spelled. More likely it was one of her grandfathers

and he didn't know about it.

The plan James had established to get the antidote, which could or could not exist, involved Sofia escaping without him which he hadn't told her yet.

'We need to go above soon' he said sitting next to Sofia on her chair. She placed her hands on his face so he could eat the grapes in his hand

'Have you figured out what to do?' She asked with a tinge of worry in her voice. She knew he was getting worse too

'I need to face Silas. If he kills me at least the pain will be gone' He didn't want to die but he couldn't live like this anymore. He would rather die at Silas's hand than from the

pain of a stupid curse. The vault was nice but if he died here Sofia would be alone and probably do the same.

'You need to go back to the village. Silas doesn't know you're here. Get one of the maid outfits and sneak out' he said bluntly popping a grape in his mouth

Sofia's eyes got big and she shook her head

'I'm not going to leave you, James. You can't face him without me, Please let me stay with you' her voice broke at the end of her sentence and he saw tears welling in her eyes

that were inches away from his

'I can't let anything happen to you, Sofia. If I die that's one thing. I deserve it. You haven't done anything wrong but Silas will condemn you for helping me' he said gently

fighting the urge to kiss her

Her frown deepened and her forehead crinkled cutely

'I have stood beside you this entire time and if it's going to get me killed then so be it. I'm not going to run away, I love you too much to let you do this on your own, I don't care

if you are the king'

She hugged his neck tightly burying her face in his neck. The immense warmth that ran through him relieved every bit of pain in his body. She loved him? He hadn't heard

those words since his father died.

James wrapped his arms around her waist and he could feel her tears run down his neck onto his chest

'I love you too, Sofia' he whispered in her ear 'That's why I can't let you come with me'

'I would rather die with you than run away knowing I will never see you again. Please don't make me leave' Sofia looked up at him, her cheeks stained with the tears she had

cried for him and before he knew what was happening his lips met hers. She gasped but quickly returned the unexpected kiss. James felt his head become light and his heart

raced inside his chest. The taste of strawberries engulfed his senses and he never wanted to stop but she pulled back and looked up at him lovingly and he smiled down at her

'Let's go get our kingdom back' he said kissing her again


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 11**

James and Sofia rode the boat back down the currant holding each other in silence. Neither of them wanted to face the possibility that they could possibly die when they reached

the surface of the castle, James at least knew he would die happy knowing that someone loved him but he was fearful of what Silas would do to the kingdom his father worked

so hard to protect. It would be no worse than what James had done to it but he needed to make things right. Sofia sighed next to him and laid her head on his shoulder softly

'What do you think is going to happen when we get up there?' She asked weakly and he grimaced

He didn't want this to be their last conversation

'Everything will work out the way it is supposed to. I wish you would reconsider leaving. Your mother needs you' James replied kissing the top of her head

'She will understand, and if we can get him to leave we will restore peace back to the kingdom'

'Yeah. But if we can't get him to leave both of us we will be executed'

He could feel her fear like a heavy smoke threatening to suffocate him. Why wouldn't she just go? More than anything he didn't want his love to watch him die and he especially

didn't want to watch her die. Perhaps he could get Silas to spare her. He would at least have to try.

Whatever happened when they found Silas everything was about to change.

The boat docked slowly as though it didn't want them to leave, like it knew what fate had in store for them but they both reluctantly exited and made their way down the dark

tunnel.

Sofia's amulet gleamed brightly showing them the way to their uncertain fate. Sofia was holding James's hand tightly diminishing any pain in his body. The tunnel ended much

too quickly and before they knew it they were in the main hall. Guards surrounded them, forced them apart causing waves of pain to crash down on James and pushed them

both towards the throne room.

'Sire, James has been recovered along with the girl' one of the guards who he recognized as originally being one of his spat disrespectfully

'James, I was beginning to think you were going to evade me forever like a coward with his protector' Silas boomed from James's throne

'What do you know of Sofia?' James asked ignoring his snide comment

'I know enough to keep her locked until after your execution. She will serve as a great asset to me when I am legally named king of Enchancia' Silas laughed flicking his wrist in

Sofia's direction and two large guards grabbed her arms

'JAMES!' Sofia screamed fighting as hard as she could to get away to no avail

'Let her go! Please, she's done nothing!' James pleaded watching in fear as they drug his love off to the dungeons

'Oh, James, how typical. Falling in love with your protector' the amusement in Silas's eyes was infuriating

'Why do you keep calling her that?' James barked wanting to rescue her but having no way to do so

'Oh I suppose I can tell you the story. Her grandfather, Frederick, was the leader of an alliance of guardsmen and villagers called "The Unity" He was also the head guard of the

Castle when your grandfather was king. Your grandfather was a great and just ruler, apparently to the point that his guards and a handful of villagers vowed to literally give their

lives for him if the opportunity arose. Frederick and his followers went to the royal sorcerer at the time and asked him to put a spell on them that would warn them ahead of

time if the king was in danger so they could better protect him. So the sorcerer put a blood spell on them after he made them all swear to never bear children as it would not be

fair to put that kind of responsibility on someone who had no choice. Not all of them agreed but those who did were successfully spelled and had rings made with amethyst

stones embedded in them as identifiers, the spell was written in an ancient script around the silver bands as a way to undo the spell if ever need be. Your grandfather had to wear

one as well for the spell to fully take effect'

James remembered now, that is where he had seen the writing before, his grandfather had never taken that ring off, he had even been buried with it.

'Frederick and the others kept their oath for years until obviously he had a son. The girl's father, Caleb, was kept a secret and it wasn't until Frederick died and he was given the

ring that he even knew what his father had done. Caleb attempted to reverse the spell, not that he didn't want to protect the king, but because his wife was with child and he

didn't want his child to have to choose between life and sacrificing herself. When Cederic learned that Frederick had disobeyed the oath he refused to help Caleb so he was going

to have the village blacksmith grind the words off, hoping that might do the trick but before he got the chance your father was attacked and Caleb had no choice but to defend

him and was sacrificed for nothing. One person can't do the job of twenty. He had the girl locked in the house with her mother when it all happened so she couldn't help. Her

mother gave her the ring and I guess she never told her why'

'How do you know so much about this?' James wondered out loud and Silas laughed

'If you cared at all about your kingdom you would know too. But I forgot, you couldn't be bothered with frivolous village nonsense, right? All that matters is what happened to

you and your rage. You're pathetic and should never have been named king however none of that matters now, you shall be executed and the girl will belong to me. She will be

my protector as soon as I am placed on the throne, hell I might even make her my queen' Silas snickered evilly

'Do what you want with me, I deserve whatever punishment you decide, but let her go back to her mother' James demanded noticing for the first time that his pain had

subsided

'Her mother left, James. She and the rest of the rebellion boarded a ship three weeks ago and if they ever return they will all be hanged for treason. She has no one left, no

family, no friends, her love will be beheaded in front of her and it is all your fault'

James clinched his jaw and straightened his stance. He needed to do something, she couldn't be left alone with this monster

'I haven't been a good king, I know. I have let the anger of my father's death consume me and I have been selfish but I can promise you that if you give me the chance I will

prove that I can be better. Just let me try. Please. I can't let her be alone'

'It's too late, nothing you can say will make me give up this kingdom. I am expanding my territory and Enchancia's mines are riddled with the gold I need to purchase more. You

will die and I will live, happily. All of your guards have already joined my cause and I have the villagers on my side as well'

James couldn't stop picturing how sad and lonely Sofia's life was going to be. He wished he had listened to her to begin with and left with her mother. They would be together at

sea, he would have fallen in love with her and they could have been together far away from the king their children would be cursed to protect. They could have been happy but

he had been as stubborn and inconsolable as a child. He had no right to be the king of anything.

'Take him to the girl. Let them say their goodbyes. Oh and James, you should be the one to tell her of her mother and don't forget to congratulate her on becoming queen' The

guards took him from the room but James could hear his bellowing laughter throughout the castle.


	13. Chapter 13

I want to apologize for the long wait for this chapter, thanks to everyone for being so patient with me.

XOXOXOXO

 **Chapter 14**

Sofia sat shivering in the cold, damp and sour smelling cell she had been roughly thrown into. the torches on the walls casted ominous shadows on the rock

walls around her making her whimper in fear. She was never one to get scared easily but besides the squeaks of mice in the distance it was too quiet and she

had no idea what was happening with James above her. Sofia couldn't stand the thought of never seeing him again, it hurt too much.

'You really love him, don't you' a man's voice echoed out in the darkness

'Who's there?' she asked meekly

'I don't envy you, being forced to care about such a monster' Sofia was taken aback by how sincere the man sounded

'He isn't a monster, he just doesn't know how to mourn his father's death. He is really a sweet, caring, beautiful person' Sofia began to cry knowing there was no way she

could help him now

'That really is a strong curse, how much do you know about it?'

Sofia snapped her head up

'Come into the light, I want to see your face stranger'

The sound of foot steps padded towards her and a man clothed in black robes with a pointed face and dark beady eyes emerged from the shadows

'Cedric?' Sofia asked shocked

'my grandfather was the wizard who created the spell that bounds you to James. Before grandfather died he instructed me that if I was to replace my father as the royal

sorcerer I was not to undo his spell under any circumstances, he was a grudge holder. However I, like you, had nothing to do with their quarrels and I don't think its fair to

suffer for one man's...vitality' Cedric explained slowly

'What are you saying?' Sofia asked suspiciously

'I hold the counter spell that will give you back your freedom. All I ask in return is to follow your heart, what it really wants and not what you feel you owe to James'

'I promise, will I know my true feelings once it's applied?'

'Yes, the effects will be immediate. It may hurt, not physically but mentally. If you don't truly love him it will feel as though your heart is being ripped in two but if your

feelings are true you will feel happier and light headed. Love is a funny feeling I've heard' Cedric chuckled as though at a joke Sofia didn't know

'Please, I've got to know' Sofia pleaded

Cedric pulled out a vile of swirling black and pink potion

'Drink this, if you need me to I can help you escape and if you choose to stay I can get you to him'

Sofia took the cork out of the vile and put it to her lips, the warm liquid ran down her throat and she felt her heart tighten and she felt lighter

'How do you feel?' Cedric asked but Sofia couldn't answer, she could hardly breath 'Sofia?' He asked again

The feeling in Sofia's stomach made her burst out in laughter, she couldn't help but smile and Cedric sighed a sigh that sounded like a mix of relief and worry

'Well we have our answer but I must warn you, if you stay here you will witness the man you love die and spend the rest of your life as a slave to Silas'

'The man I love, I love James!' Sofia giggled again not hearing what Cedric was saying

'Sofia! Pay attention. The next step you take will decide if you live a life of pain and suffering or if you get to be free. Choose wisely'

'I'm not leaving James' Sofia said sternly. She would never leave him alone even if it meant she would die along side him. She **wanted** to help him. She **wanted** to be with

him for the rest of their lives, no matter how long that might be. She **needed** him. It was all clear, Sofia loved James and it wasn't because she had to.

'You said you could take me to him. Let's go. And Cedric, Thank you, thank you for everything'

'You're welcome, Sofia. I'm just sorry your happiness might not last long'

Cedric mumbled something and the cell door opened quietly. He took her by the hand and lead her up the stairs

'Go to him' Cedric said and disappeared in a cyclone of smoke

Sofia saw the guards dragging James towards the dungeon and she ran to him

'James!' Sofia cried, the feeling in her chest got tighter when she saw him

'You there, how did you get out of your cell?' one of the guards barked and grabbed her arm 'Lets go back to Silas'

James looked at her sadly but she continued to smile at him. She was so glad he was still alive.

'Silas, we caught the girl escaping from the dungeon' the guard holding her announced

Silas sighed sarcastically 'And to think I was going to let you two say goodbye'

Sofia scoffed and Silas glared at her

'Keep your aggravation to yourself, that's no way for a king's queen to act in front of his guards'

'I will NEVER be your queen' Sofia hissed

'you will change your mind once James is dead. You won't have a choice girl' Silas laughed and motioned for Sofia to be taken to the corner 'Lets get to this, shall we boys?'

The guard holding James tied his hands behind his back and pushed him to the ground

'NO!' Sofia yelled but was ignored

Silas took the sword from his guard and sneered down at James who was immobilized by the rope

'I will do the honors' he laughed getting into position beside him

'You can't do this this! JAMES!' James heard Sofia cry out and he wished more than anything that she wasn't there. He knew he was getting what he had deserved for treating

his kingdom so passively but what had she done? It wasn't her fault she was cursed to keep him safe.

'Be quiet, _my queen_. Let me concentrate' Silas snapped and James's blood began to boil

James felt the wind from Silas's blade as he raised it and he closed his eyes bracing himself for the impact but instead he felt a body thrown over him and the sound of Silas's

angry roar echoed throughout the hall

'FOOLISH GIRL!'

'SOFIA?' James yelled

'Stop this, just let us leave. Banish us and we won't come back. Please have mercy and just let him live' Sofia cried holding James tightly with no sign of letting go

'Move, or I'll kill you too'

the room went quiet. Nobody moved waiting to see what would happen next and when she didn't give in Silas raised the tip of his blade to her heart

'I will ask you one more time, insolent girl, move or die'

'Then I choose death, I'm not going to let you kill him. Not while I'm still breathing' Sofia whispered

'Sofia, I love you' James whispered

'I love you too, James'

Silas growled as he pulled his sword back to run her through when two guards caught his arms

'What is the meaning of this?!' Silas bellowed wrestling against their grips

'We can't stand by and watch you slaughter an innocent girl, or our king' one of them said angrily and the other nodded in agreement

'Innocent? She is guilty of treason and conspiracy against the throne plus you two were all for me killing _your king_ ' Silas spat

'If Sofia is guilty of anything it would be attempted kidnapping of a royal but that was just to keep him safe, James is still our king and he seems to have been rehabilitated by

her. You have no authority her Silas' the other guard spoke while cutting the rope from around James's wrists and he stood up

'Your Majesty, forgive us' the guards half kneeled while still holding Silas firmly

James turned and embraced Sofia tightly

'Take him to the dining hall, I will be there shortly to sort things out'

'Yes, your majesty'

they escorted Silas out of the room and James leaned down passionately kissing his savior

'You saved my life' James sighed not letting Sofia go 'You were willing to sacrifice yourself for me. I know it was the curse but thank you'

'Actually...I was cured down in the dungeon. I love you, James, It may have been sparked by magic but it's real'

'What? Cured? I don't understand, you saved me on purpose?' he asked astonished

'I had to, I don't want to live without you'

James smiled and kissed her neck

'Will you marry me?' he whispered in her ear

Sofia flung her arms around his neck

'YES!' she yelled happily 'a million times, yes'

'I will make sure we are always together, no matter what happens. Now lets go get this over with'


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Silas was thrashing against the two guards holding him down in a chair as James and Sofia came into the dining hall

'YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'RE DOING! I WILL MAKE YOU ALL REGRET DISRESPECTING ME!' Silas yelled angrily trying to escape to no avail

The guards just shook their heads at each other not loosening their grip

'Let him up' James spoke gently

The guards looked at him quizzically but did as they were told

'I'm not sure why you two have decided to help me but I doubt the rest of the kingdom will agree with the decision' he took a deep breath and squeezed Sofia's hand 'For the

time being I would like you to take Silas to my chambers, I need to speak with the Fairies as well as the village elders immediately'

'Yes you're majesty' both guards spoke and Silas just shot James a hateful look as he was forced out of the room

'What is your plan?' Sofia asked facing him

'I haven't got that far yet' James admitted rubbing his head as it started to ache

He had no idea what to expect from the audience he had requested but he did know one thing. It wasn't going to be good but he was ready to be put on trial with the most

influential people in his kingdom.

As the day progressed James tried to regain his confidence around the castle. Sofia helped him into his royal dress but he felt wrong somehow when she placed his father's

crown on his head. A few of the servants left when they saw he was back which he figured would happen, others were a bit more verbal and had to be escorted off the

grounds. Baileywick, James knew, was hiding from him apparently not wanting to have to face up to his betrayal. James didn't blame him for turning his back on him but he

thought Baileywick could have at least spoken to him or yelled at him like the others had.

'You're Majesty, the headmistresses and elders are in the library' A servant man who had stayed behind told him

'Wish me luck, Sof' James sighed as she fixed his collar for the twentieth time

'I hope you get the answers you are looking for. You don't need luck, just be the charming man I fell in love with' Sofia giggled and kissed him

James smiled briefly and reluctantly began walking with the man whom James scolded himself for not knowing his name. When they arrived at the heavy library doors the

man opened them for him and bowed

'Excuse me, sir, may I ask your name?' James asked before entering the brightly lit room

'Martin, sire' He answered hesitantly obviously not trying to look too shocked

'Thank you, Martin. I shall be seeing you soon'

'Yes, sire'

No one was used to James actually treating them like people and he knew if he was to stay the ruler of this kingdom he would have to prove to them that he was making an

effort.

James heard whispers as he approached the group of people who despised him most in the world but as they noticed him they all fell silent

'James, seeing you in that outfit almost makes me think you were a king' Sven, Head chairman of the elders, snickered

'Now now, Sven lets try to keep this civil' the green fairy, Fauna, said shooting him a humored/stern look. James's heart sank

'Thank you all for agreeing to meet with me' James began

'Meeting with you?' Sven said, his voice was laced with malice and he almost burst out laughing 'Son, I cant speak for my friends here but I just wanted to see for myself that

someone actually fell in love with you' he sat back in his chair and crossed his arms sarcastically 'It's hard to believe that you have changed at all, but it is apparent the spell

has been lifted since you're not _writhing_ in pain'

James smiled not letting the fact his words cut him like a knife engulfed in hell fire show 'Yes, It's true that I found someone to break my spell. We are engaged to be married

in fact. What I need from all of you is your respect, I am not your 'Son' I am your king, at least until I willingly stand down. I need to know that my decision to remain King of

Enchancia will not be met with death threats and further Assassination attempts. I believe that I have more than paid for my mistakes and wrong doings. I understand that I

need to treat the villagers better and stop blaming everyone for my father's death. My fiancé Sofia will not only ensure just that but with her as your Queen I know we can

build Enchancia back up to where my father left it'

The room fell silent for the second time since James had entered it. The fairies and the elders exchanged meaningful glances back and forth until finally Sven cleared his throat

'And if we don't believe in you or give you our blessing? Then what?'

'Then I stand down. Sofia and I will hunt down her mother and the rest of the resistance, get married and grow our family on the coast somewhere. You won't see us again'

James stated staring Sven straight in the eye

'You would be willing to give up the throne just like that? No fight, no argument, you'll just pick up and leave your crown, your birthright, behind?' another elder spoke up

bewildered

'I would do anything to ensure Sofia's, as well as our future children's, safety. I would rather lose my throne and my crown than lose her'


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

James left the library allowing the Headmistresses and the elders to discuss their opinions amongst themselves. When he returned to the dining hall he found Sofia was gone

'Martin, have you seen Miss Sofia?' James asked and Martin nodded

'She is in the kitchens, sire'

'Thank you' James smiled rushing off to find her

When he found Sofia she was cooking and laughing with the two royal chefs

'There you are, what's going on?' she asked excitedly as soon as she saw him

'I think it went well' James lied pulling a chair up to the table in the middle of the room and grabbed an apple from the bowl on top of it

'She wanted to help, sire' his head chef Trenton, a big bald man with a red burly beard, said defensively in a rough voice

'I expected as much, So what's for lunch Sof?' James winked at her taking a bite of the apple and Sofia giggled

'Beef steak pie' she replied skillfully repositioning the Dutch oven on the coals

'Is she letting you guys help her at all or did she take over your kitchen?' James laughed looking at Mason, Trenton's sous chef

Mason looked to his boss for some kind of assistance but Trenton didn't notice for the fact he hadn't taken his eyes off of the king

'I can see my presence is making you two uncomfortable, I will go wait in the dining hall' James smiled and got up to leave

'I'll come with you' Sofia skipped over to him untying her apron 'I think you guys can handle it from here' she waved and the couple made their way back to the dining hall

Sofia noticed the strained look on James's face and held his arm tightly

'It's just going to take some time, James. No one is ready to accept that you've changed'

'Then why do they stay?'

'This is the only way they can provide for their families. Sure they are intimidated by you but they are willing to put their fears aside for them'

James didn't say anything, he knew how they felt and hated himself for not seeing their point of view until he was put in a similar situation. He knew he was being selfish.

'So you think the meeting went well? What did you talk about?' Sofia asked when they finally got back to the dining hall

'I'll let you know as soon as I hear back from them. It should be soon. As for our topic of conversation it was merely me asking for reassurance'

'Reassurance? For what?'

James explained his propositions and Sofia could feel tears burning at the corners of her eyes

'Why are you crying?' James asked worried that he had said something wrong

Sofia threw her arms around his neck

'I love you so much, James'

'I love you too, Sofia. More than anything'

Lunch arrived moments later and Sofia wiped her eyes not wanting to give off the wrong impression to the chefs who already didn't know why she was with him

'This is delicious' James said happily shoving a huge forkful of pie in his mouth

'I'm glad you like it, it's my mother's recipe' Sofia beamed

'You miss her, huh' James said sadly

'Very much, but I know I will see her again soon right?'

'Of course. Whether I am still king and can bring her back of if we have to sail the seas to find her. I will make sure you two are reunited'

The doors opened and in walked his jurors. James and Sofia both stood up quickly

'James, Sofia, we have talked it over and came to a decision' Merriweather said fluttering above the table

'I'm sorry but we cannot give you our blessing for keeping the throne nor can we promise that no harm will come to you or your future family if you stay' Flora continued

'As the circumstances stand, you are alive and still officially our king. We cannot force you relinquish your title and also cannot pick a successor for you. If you wish to step

down voluntarily you will have to choose one on your own'

Sofia looked up at James. His eyes were clear and she swore he was about to smile

'I understand. Thank you all for your time and honesty. Can someone please fetch Cedric?' James asked a cluster of servants who had gathered in the corner to listen in

Cedric was brought to him immediately

'As I am still king for the moment I hereby banish Silas from Enchancia and all trade with his kingdom is to be cut off. Cedric can you please enforce an unbreakable

banishment spell'

'Of course, you're majesty' Cedric mumbled some words and a black and purple swirl of light emerged from the tip of his wand and shot out of the room 'it is done'

'Thank you. Now for whom I choose as my successor. It will have to be someone who puts this kingdom above all else and will fight to make it as great as it was' James

smiled taking his father's sword from it's place at his hip and placed it on the table

'I, King James of Enchancia, hereby and henceforth resign from my throne and in my place I leave all royal duties and privileges to Elder Sven'

A wave of whispers came from the corner of the room and every eye landed on Sven who looked like he was going to have a heart attack

'Me? I'm too old and have no heirs to take my place' Sven chortled

'I realize that but if anyone can pick a suitable replacement it's you. I know Silas wasn't your idea, he saw an opportunity to become richer and he moved in before you had a

chance to stop him. I trust you will make the right decision for Enchancia'

'So you are leaving now?' Sven asked picking up the royal sword gingerly

'Yes, Sofia and I will be setting sail by dusk. We have to go find her mother so we can get married' James smiled brightly at Sofia and gripped her hand tightly

Sven walked around the table and faced James

'I have to admit, I wasn't convinced you were actually going to go through with it and I certainly didn't expect to benamed your successor. Take this with you, your father

would want it to stay in the family' Sven handed James the sword he was holding 'I want you to also take as much gold as you need, I wish you luck with finding Sofia's

mother and with your family'

'Thank you Sven, Everyone, I'm sorry again for all the heartache I've caused you all. I hope someday you can forgive me'

James and Sofia could feel everyone's eyes on them as they left the room. James gathered the gold and the two of them left the castle together for the first time since they

had met. Neither of them looked back even as they were sailing into the horizon. The castle became a far off memory and all they could think about was their future.


End file.
